740.00119 EW/7–1945
The Secretary of State to the United States Political Adviser for Germany (Murphy)
310. For Pauley. [Telegram] 2629 of July 19 from Moscow from Sproul. Dept has considered at length your recommendations on countries to be invited to file reparation claims. Dept recommends inclusion of Denmark in list based on participation of Danish underground in own liberation, under direction of SHAEF, effort in Greenland, and adherences to United Nations’ declarations thru Minister in US, which with declaration of war against Germany, were ratified by Danish Govt as first act after liberation.
[Page 1264]Dept assumes that any Indian claims to reparations will be presented by British Govt. Same assumption applies to Palestine, should British Govt heed request of Jewish Agency made May 22 and affirmed by World Zionist Conference of August 13 (Embtel 8225 from London, repeated to you89).
After extensive consideration Dept has concluded that none of the Latin American republics should be invited. All of these republics whose candidacy might have been considered on the ground of their participation in the war effort have sufficient German assets in their country to cover their reasonable claims. We agree with you that their claims should be given consideration in connection with the Control Council’s program for mobilizing German foreign assets rather than in a reparation conference, and full consultation will be had by this Govt with other American republics in accordance resolutions Mexico City Conference.90 Other American republics will be informed of action you are taking and reasons for non-invitation will be fully explained. Dept feels that we owe a special explanation to Brazil in view of its special position as an active belligerent but feels able to justify its exclusion on the ground that Brazil would not in any case share in the general distribution of reparation deliveries from Germany.
[On August 22, 23, and 24, discussions were held in Washington between various American officials and French President Charles de Gaulle and Foreign Minister Georges Bidault. The talks covered many topics including German reparations; for texts of memoranda of these conversations, see volume IV, pages 707, 711, and 722.]